Email

SUKKUR, May 8: Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said his governments had never been dictated by any international power, not even the United States, while the present PPP government was sacrificing national integrity and sovereignty for the sake of dollars.

Addressing a large public meeting in Garhi Khero town of Jacobabad district on Tuesday, he said the PML-N had ruled the country only for four and a half years in two stints, while the PPP had the opportunity to rule for 15 years in four terms. But the PPP did nothing for people’s welfare, development of the country or for strengthening institutions.

He alleged that the PPP governments had been involved in ‘massive’ corruption.

Mr Sharif said that as prime minister he had rejected the US offer of billions of dollars in exchange for not conducting nuclear tests, while President Asif Zardari’s government had transferred millions of dollars abroad.

He said innocent people were being killed in drone attacks, the US was openly threatening the country and the government accepting its every demand.

He said the government had mortgaged the entire country and people for heavy foreign loans and was squandering the money on luxuries. A large number of ministers and advisers were benefiting from these loans.

Mr Sharif alleged that millions of rupees had been spent on leaders of the parties in the ruling coalition.

He said the government had violated laws and judgments of the judiciary in an unprecedented manner.

He said a convicted prime minister had gone on a visit to the United Kingdom. Ministers and officials were frequently going abroad on visits which are of no benefit to Pakistan. He said the government had failed to do anything for the country’s prosperity.

He said President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani could not claim to have taken any positive step over the past four years.

The PML-N chief alleged that with its corruption and violation of courts’ verdicts the government had tarnished the image of the country.

He said that people affected by floods and rains in Sindh had been deceived and a large part of billions of rupees received in aid from abroad for their rehabilitation had been misappropriated.

He also said the people of the province would prosper if the wealth allegedly stashed in foreign banks by President Zardari was spent here.

He alleged that jobs in Sindh were being sold and unemployed youths were deprived of employment on merit.

He said if the people of Sindh did not use their votes to bring about a change they themselves would be responsible for the consequences.